Wilson Sporting Goods is putting a store of its own in South Florida. The Chicago company's retail directory now lists a shop at Aventura Mall, on the upper level at 19565 Biscayne Boulevard (Suite 1924), with posted hours of 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Aventura Mall's own listing for the shop still carries a coming soon label, so call ahead before making a special trip. Until now, Wilson's only Florida location has been a pop-up at 769 Fifth Avenue in Naples, on the Gulf Coast.

For tennis players in northeast Miami-Dade and south Broward, the detail that stands out sits in the fine print of Wilson's own store list. The Naples pop-up is marked as a location that does not offer racket stringing. The Aventura store carries no such note, and Aventura Mall's listing for the shop says it will string rackets and host community events for local players. By Wilson's own list, that makes Aventura the one Wilson store in the state set up to restring a frame.

What is inside

Aventura Mall describes the shop as a tennis-forward store selling equipment, performance footwear, apparel and accessories. Wilson's catalog reaches well past tennis: the company makes gear for baseball and fastpitch, basketball, football, golf, volleyball, padel and pickleball, and it sells a lifestyle and performance clothing line under the Wilson Sportswear name. Amer Sports, which has owned Wilson since 1989, says that clothing line is currently sold only in the United States and China.

Padel and pickleball each get their own section on Wilson's site, next to tennis, so racket players of all three kinds have a reason to stop in. Wilson also offers customization on some equipment, including custom baseball gloves and golf clubs, through its website.

A name on the ball

The name on the store is the one printed on the balls used in several of the biggest leagues on television. According to Amer Sports, Wilson was founded in Chicago in 1914 and its equipment is used in the NFL, the NBA, the WNBA, across the NCAA, and at two Grand Slam tennis tournaments, Roland-Garros and the US Open. Wilson still runs a football factory in Ada, Ohio, which offers public tours Monday through Thursday, according to the company's store directory.

The Aventura shop joins a short list. Wilson's directory of its own stores includes its flagship on Walton Street in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, two Manhattan locations (Soho and the Shops at Columbus Circle), stores in Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Beverly Hills and Santa Clara in California, Garden State Plaza in New Jersey, Mall of America in Minnesota, the Houston Galleria and NorthPark Center in Dallas, Kierland Commons in Scottsdale, and two outlets. Aventura is the only full store on that list in the Southeast.

Getting there

Aventura Mall sits on Biscayne Boulevard just south of the Broward County line. The mall recommends parking in the garage near Apple for the Wilson store. Brightline riders can use the Aventura station, which the mall points to as a way to reach it from elsewhere in South Florida without driving.

If you are bringing a racket in for stringing, call ahead to confirm the store is open and to ask about turnaround time and string options, since the store has not published a stringing price list online. The phone number is (305) 974-2071, and the mall's shop page links back to wilson.com for product listings.

The practical details

  • Where: Wilson, Aventura Mall, upper level, 19565 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 1924, Aventura, FL 33180
  • Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (per Wilson's store directory)
  • Phone: (305) 974-2071
  • Status: listed with hours by Wilson; marked coming soon by Aventura Mall
  • Services: racket stringing and community events, according to Aventura Mall
  • Parking: the mall's garage near Apple

Sources